From:
To: Mary Gourley; City Council; Stephen Zollman; Diana Rich; Jill McLewis; Neysa Hinton; Sandra Maurer Subject: Local SUPPORT for Ceasefire Resolution, Agenda Item #8, please pass TODAY Date: Tuesday, April 2, 2024 3:14:56 PM
Honorable City Councilmembers and Staff,
I want to thank those of you who were present for acknowledging us. Thank you for letting us know that we have been seen and by pushing the ceasefire to tonight's meeting, you are not forgetting about the large contingency of human beings that want Peacetown to pass a declaration of peace.
The situation in Palestine is ever more dire...so many bombings have happened in the time that you saw us last. The largest specialty hospital in Gaza, Nasser Hospital has been destroyed, and with it the lives of doctors, nurses, patients, and children. Not to mention the infrastructure designed to save lives, can do that no more. As a lawyer, it is very difficult to watch the lack of care or compassion for human rights and international law that goes on all around me, my government, my family, my friends, the media, I could go on and on. But what I will say is that Sonoma County for Palestine is one of the most caring, educated, courageous and steadfast groups of people I have ever had the grace to stand with. We stand together to say CEASEFIRE, and we will continue to do so as long as it takes.
I am begging you to ensure this critical issue does not become a can that is kicked down the road, America's history is littered with many such cans. That would be the easy thing to do.
But the impact of this war is deafening, and I urge you to consider how you might feel in ten years, about what you did tonight. Did you take a stand for peace? Because cities and organizations are taking a stand for peace all around you. Even in this late hour, it is not too late to get onto the right side of history. I urge you to pass this resolution, as Cotati has, which calls for peace on all sides. Your constituents and neighbors overwhelmingly want you to. I want Sebastopol to be a place that I can raise my son in, and be able to tell him that we stand up for human rights here. That is why we are called "Peacetown." Sincerely,
Margaret DeMatteo
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